League One outfit Plymouth Argyle will have been disappointed not to have secured a place in the top six, particularly because of the manner of their defeat against MK Dons on the final day.

If there is one positive to take from this though, it's the fact Steven Schumacher has extra time to ramp up preparations because of the fact they have known which division they will be competing in next season since the end of April.

They will be looking to take advantage of this extra time and make a fast start to the summer window, with the Pilgrims likely to be desperate for redemption after falling out of the promotion mix.

 

 

 

 

Their minor decline in the latter stages of the 2021/22 campaign potentially suggests they need slightly more quality if they are to remain in contention for a return to the Championship next term, with the need to replace loanees and released players as well.

More departures could be on the way at Home Park in the coming months though as they look to remain within financial limits and offload those that may be deemed surplus to requirements in Devon.

With this, we're taking a look at three dilemmas facing manager Schumacher ahead of the summer window.

How much should they demand for Camara?

Last month, Plymouth announced they had transfer-listed star midfielder Panutche Camara ahead of the summer window after failing to come to a fresh contract agreement with the 25-year-old over the past few months.

The Guinea-Bissau international is set to enter the final year of his contract at Home Park and the Pilgrims have now admitted defeat in their quest to keep him - and because of that - is now set to secure a move away in the coming months.

Considering his contract situation and the fact Plymouth are publicly open to selling him, they may only receive a very limited fee for his services and that's a shame considering he scored four goals and recorded six assists in 40 league appearances last term.

Burnley are one side previously thought to have kept tabs on him and considering they have just been relegated from the Premier League, the Pilgrims have a right to demand a sizeable fee for his services if a higher-end second-tier side comes in for him.

However, they won't want to push interested teams too far, see them pull out of the race and then lose him for free next summer, so it will be a difficult balance trying to generate a respectable fee for him without forcing sides out of the race.

Time for a rebuild in the goalkeeping department?

With Luke McCormick no longer having a playing role at Home Park, this leaves just Michael Cooper and Callum Burton available as first-team options in the goalkeeping department.

Because of this, another shot-stopper may arrive, with a replacement also needed for Cooper if he departs this summer amid interest from elsewhere.

The third-tier side will consider cashing in on the 22-year-old if the price is right and with two years left on his contract, they could potentially make a considerable amount for his services with Schumacher's side having no shortage of power at the negotiating table.

Norwich City are one side thought to be monitoring his situation and considering they have only just been relegated from the top tier, they may be prepared to spend a decent amount on him.

The fee generated could enable Schumacher to have a total revamp in the goalkeeping area - a possibility he needs to consider.

Should they pursue permanent moves for Broom and Garrick?

Ryan Broom is one man who's available for transfer after being placed on the transfer list by Peterborough United, though Grant McCann seems open to seeing how he fares in pre-season.

He only has one year left on his deal at the Weston Homes Stadium though, so he could be available for a cut-price fee. Whether he arrives permanently may depend on whether Camara goes or not.

Jordan Garrick is another man who only has one year left on his deal and it remains to be seen whether he will feature as part of Russell Martin's plans for the coming years.

Again, his contract situation means he may be available on the cheap despite the Swans having a 12-month option to extend after that and with Martin already having the likes of Joel Piroe and Michael Obafemi as options up top, he may be surplus to requirements in South Wales.

Even if the former leaves, you would back the Swans to recruit a replacement or two considering they would generate a sizeable fee for the Dutchman's services.

Recruiting both Broom and Garrick permanently may take up a chunk of the Pilgrims' transfer budget though, so it remains to be seen whether they move for one or both.